Najib's home state Pahang slammed for 'RAMPANT DESTRUCTION' in Lesong forest

KUALA LUMPUR - The Natural Re­­sources and Environment Ministry has criticised the move by the Pahang government to clear the Lesong fo­rest, calling for the nation’s jungles to be protected.

“Rampant destruction of forests can damage the ecosystem,” said Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.

“It is not a good move to clear vast areas of the Lesong permanent reserve fo­­rest,” he said in a statement here yesterday.

He was commenting on a report in The Star that up to 3,000ha of perma­nent reserve forests in the heart of Pahang – the size of Cyber­jaya – had been logged up to July this year.

They formed part of a larger area spanning some 16,896ha, which Pahang considered to be “degraded forest”.

As such, the state has decided to designate this land as timber plantation areas, which could be replanted with commercial timber species, such as timber latex clones (or rubberwood) in the future.

Palanivel, however, said the protection of Pahang’s forests and their respective biodiversity should have been the state government’s priority.

“The Pahang government is expected to adhere to related pro­cedures and laws to protect the state’s permanent re­­serve forests,” he said.

“Failure to do so will cause an immense impact on the wildlife and its environment,” Palanivel said.

The minister advised the state government to take necessary ac­­tions to prevent what he called, “the rampant clearing of permanent reserve fo­­rests”.

Palanivel said it was important for all segments of society to protect the country’s fo­­rests and its wildlife, too. -ANN